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Charlotte News Thursday, October 1, 2020 | Volume LXIII Number 07
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Vol. 63, no.07 October 1, 2020 Local news created by local contributors.
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First day of horse school
Finer points of LURs nailed down, now ready for public comment Chea Waters Evans NEWS EDITOR
This mom and two babies enjoyed the cooler air this week on Greenbush Road. Photo by Rookie Manning
Voter information: Absentee ballots and Nov. 3 general election Mary Mead and Sy Koerner
TOWN CLERK/ASSISTANT TOWN CLERK
The Vermont Secretary of State’s office is mailing out absentee ballots to every active voter on our checklist as of Sept. 2. Those ballots were mailed out to Charlotte voters on Sept. 25, and they were mailed out to the address we had on record for you as of Sept. 2. If you haven’t received a ballot by Oct. 2 or so, please give us a call and we will make sure you get a ballot. Our office will be mailing out ballots to newly registered voters and voters whose mailing addresses have changed since Sept. 2. If you live out of the country, including Canada, your ballot will be emailed to you. You will still need to mail the ballot back to us, and there are instructions included in the email as to how to do that. As always, with any absentee ballot for any election, your voted ballot goes inside the envelope that says, “Instructions for Early or Absentee Voters.” You must print your name and sign the envelope, otherwise your ballot is defective and will not be counted. If you are a Jr. or Sr. or III, etc. please put that on your ballot. When you vote in person, we check your name off the voter checklist. Likewise, when an absentee ballot is returned, we are checking off in the computer that the ballot was returned by you and your name is checked off the checklist. There are different ways to return your ballot to us which can either be in person at the Town Hall, by mail, or dropped in our mail slot by the Town Hall front door if we are not open. I have heard our Secretary of State encouraging people to return their ballots to their Town Clerks on election day. This is of course okay, but it kind of defeats the whole reason for sending everyone an absentee ballot if the purpose was to reduce the number of people at the polls on Nov. 3 for COVID-19 safety reasons. Our office would greatly appreciate voters returning their
ballots to us sooner than later. There is a significant amount of data entry involved with absentee ballot voting. When we receive the request, it is entered into the computer. On the day it is actually mailed or emailed, we go back into the computer and enter the “issued” date and likewise, as each ballot is received, we are going back into the computer and marking it as “received.” On the date that we are printing the checklist for the election, every voter that has submitted an absentee ballot to our office should have a check mark next to their name as having voted. The ballots, as they are received, are kept in our vault in a secure location, in alphabetical order. After printing the checklist, we look at every ballot and make sure that they are, in fact, included on the checklist to make sure every ballot we say has been returned has been properly accounted for. Every ballot received is marked as voted on the checklist, and no ballots are run through the tabulator until the polls open at 7 a.m. on election day. Ballots must be in our hands by the close of polls at 7 p.m. in order to be counted, so mailing your ballot the day before an election just doesn’t work that well. Hopefully, by the time you read this, you all will have received your ballots. The ballot is double-sided so make sure you vote both sides. Please fill in the circles as directed so the tabulator can read your vote. If you have made a mistake and need a new ballot you can come into our office with your ballot and we will replace it for you. If you have any questions, please just call us or email, 425-3071 or mary@townofcharlotte. com. Sometimes, the news makes things out to be more complicated than it is. We are just voting in a general election, with a ballot that has been mailed to us by the state vs. the Town Clerk’s Office. Period.
The Planning Commission held a special meeting Sept. 24 to mark up and approve a final draft of the Charlotte Land Use Regulations amendments. The purpose of the meeting wasn’t to develop policy, which has been in progress for the last year, but rather to identify and clarify any outstanding gray areas in language or policy. The full board attended the meeting, along with several audience members who logged in through Zoom. The amendments passed with one nay vote, which came from commission member Bill Stuono. The LUR amendments were divided by the PC into three sections, what they referred to as “buckets,” and changes were addresses for each of the three sections. (See accompanying article by Town Planner Larry Lewack on page 4.) Bucket 1 was the East Charlotte Village Commercial District, bucket 2 was Act 143, specifically accessory on-farm businesses, and then what PC Chair Peter Joslin called “minor fixes discovered over the years, and everything else.” The changes discussed regarding the East Charlotte commercial district tweaked language regarding wastewater and water supply. The PC, along with Clark Hinsdale, audience member and developer, discussed the finer points of transferable density, which is the concept of purchasing and developing certain areas of land in a more developed section of town with the understanding that public or open land will be conserved in other, less dense areas. In response to inquiries from Stuono regarding density transfer, Hinsdale said, “I just can’t imagine the Planning Commission saying it’s okay to kill density in the village in order to put more development in an open farm field.” He said he has owned property in the village for a long time that he hopes to develop in the East Village, and said that as he approaches his 65th birthday, he realizes that the laws that are developed now are the ones that apply to what he does with the land. Though Hinsdale is not now a Charlotte resident, he was consulted multiple times during the meeting for explanations and clarifications by several members of the commission. Charlotter Alex Bunten also checked in during the meeting to clarify whether or not the proposed changes to the East Village Commercial Zone leave adequate space for existing wetlands. Accessory on-farm businesses are a part of Act 143, a state law that allows farms to operate businesses with a limited amount of municipal oversight as long as 50% of their
profits come from items produced on the farm. Joslin said the PC met and received input from community members, Charlotte farmers, people from Philo Ridge Farm who have been operating under the law, and that commission members attended a seminar specifically focused on the law. Lewack said he put out a call for models from other towns in Vermont to see how other municipalities are handling the situation and how they are able to “regulate within the boundary of the law and be more proactive.” The language changed in the amendments reflects clarification that parking can’t negatively impact roads or adjacent driveways, requires driveways and access points to be safe and accessible for emergency vehicles, and requires new curb cuts or access points to receive approval from the Selectboard.
“I just can’t imagine the Planning Commission saying it’s okay to kill density in the village in order to put more development in an open farm field.” ─ Clark Hinsdale
In response to inquiries from Stuono regarding density transfer.
The language used in the LUR amendments sometimes got in the way of clarity; Lewack said, regarding the language used to define a commercial farm stand, “the current definitions would make your head explode.” A similar theme was to be found with other items in the third bucket. Outdoor storage guidelines are addressed in the LUR amendments, and Lewack said the PC “shouldn’t have regulatory language in the definition…say in the standard what you can do.” This translates into the amendment reading that outdoor storage is not allowed unless certain conditions are met—in this case, they relate to food waste, which is required by law to be separated, or boats, campers, and other items that are defined separately. The Planning Commission will host a public hearing on the draft of the LUR amendments tonight at 7:10 p.m. via Zoom. The link is on the Town of Charlotte website.
The Charlotte News • October 1, 2020 • 3
Town
Police update, employee evaluations, and the dog debate continues Chea Waters Evans NEWS EDITOR
This week’s Selectboard meeting included updates from the Vermont State Police, the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, and Gallagher Flynn consulting. And though it was discussed again, there was still no resolution to the ongoing debate and discussion of what exactly dogs should be allowed to do on Thompson’s Point and Whiskey Beach. COVID-19 made life difficult for many in many ways, but one silver lining of the virus and the resulting Stay Home, Stay Safe directive meant that traffic tickets and incidents were lower this year than they were at this point in 2019. Lieutenant Bob Lucas from the Vermont State Police checked in with the Selectboard on Monday night to share his report about the state of traffic and patrolling in Charlotte. Lucas said the yearly tallies for this year, Sept. 1 to Sept. 1, showed there were 25 fewer calls to the VSP, down to 472 from 505 last year. He said there were “no major surprises” as far as call volume and types of calls were concerned. Lucas also mentioned that they purposefully directed patrols in specific areas of town to reduce break-ins both within the community and at Mt. Philo State Park—specifically vehicle break-ins in the parking lot there.
want to comment too, too much.”
Partly for safety reasons and partly for financial reasons, VSP troopers chose to ignore certain violations during the spring and early summer, like expired inspection stickers and vehicle registrations. “We didn’t want to put undue financial burden on people for fines,” Lucas said, “there was compassion there. We want to hold people accountable for their actions, but on the same token we understand we’re in trying times.” Lucas finished his presentation by explaining how the VSP’s Fair and Impartial Policing Committee, which was created in 2009, is continually working to follow a 10-point initiative set forth by the police and the governor. Updated in August, the document “Law Enforcement Modernization in Vermont: A Partial Roadmap & Commitment by Law Enforcement Agencies to Work with our Communities” is available on the VSP’s web site. The report reads, “America has experienced a tipping point in the nationwide crisis involving police use of force. Awareness and acknowledgement of institutionalized racism throughout the criminal justice system has likely never been at a higher level. In Vermont, there must be a systematic approach to comprehensive police reform.”
Despite the fatal crash last month at the northern intersection of Church Hill Road and Route 7, Lucas said that the corridor of the highway in Charlotte is “not a designated high crash area…[but] we are cognitive of it and focusing a lot of attention in that area.”
The plan laid out by police focuses on hiring, training, data and data management, community oversight, and getting the community involved in police efforts, among other objectives. Lucas encouraged Charlotters to go to the VSP web site, look at the recommendations, and contact him directly with concerns and questions.
He also said he couldn’t discuss the matter further because the crash is still an “ongoing investigation; we are preparing search warrants on vehicles and such so I don’t
Thompson’s Point lease transfer During a segment on a lease transfer for a Thompson’s Point property—these items are routine and done frequently—leaseholder
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Valerie Biebuyck publicly pleaded with the Selectboard for the third time that they assist her and her husband, who own lot 129 on the point, with a right-of-way issue relating to the two properties, lots 127 and 128, that were the subject of Monday night’s lease transfer. The right of way included in lots 127 and 128, she said, would infringe upon her lot and shouldn’t be considered valid because the property on the two lots has changed significantly over time. She said they are “in a conflict with a neighbor we haven’t even met yet.” The Selectboard decided that the right of way issues were not germaine to the lease transaction and voted to approve the transfer of lots 127 and 128. Thompson’s Point and Whiskey Bay dog decisions The agenda item for tonight’s meeting was the question of whether or not dogs should be banned from Whiskey Bay Beach on Thompson’s Point; it was presented as such, based on public comments at the last Selectboard meeting. After a couple false starts with both Selectboard members and members of the community voicing their opinions on dogs both on and off leashes and dog behavior at the beach, Tenney reminded meeting participants that the parameters set by the agenda item allowed only a vote on whether or not dogs would be prohibited at Whiskey Bay Beach. Though all parties in the discussion agreed that dog poop should be picked up regularly and good use be made of the poop station at the top of the path to the beach, that was really the only agreement on the issue. Kendall Frost voiced her support for dogs at the beach, Barbara Russ and Dean Williams expressed their fear of aggressive dogs at Whiskey Bay, and other public comments were made, but ultimately no one on the Selectboard wanted to ban dogs from the beach at this point, so the dog law remains as is for now. The issue will be taken up once more at the next Selectboard meeting; Selectboard member Jim Faulkner recommended that it be presented as an item to possibly amend the leash law exclusively for Whiskey Bay Beach. Other news Dan Lyons, with consulting firm Gallagher, Flynn & Company, presented his report on salary review for Town of Charlotte employees. The town currently uses a method of evaluation called the Palmer method; Lyons said his evaluation did not use such a system. He said he looked at data from similar positions in towns around the state in order to provide salary ranges that are appropriate for certain positions. The Selectboard will review the information and plan to discuss compensation issues at a later date. Charlie Baker, the executive director of the Chittenden County Regional Planning Commission, made what he called a “customer service call” to the board, laying out their yearly report and discussed the issue of affordable housing with the Selectboard. Selectboard member James Faulkner reported that things were progressing nicely with the Morningside Cemetery and Morningside Drive area.
The Charlotte News Mission Statement The mission of The Charlotte News is to inform our readers about current events, issues and topics, and to serve as a forum for the free exchange of views of town residents and community volunteer organizations on matters related to Charlotte and the lives of its residents. Editorial independence The Board of Directors retains full authority over all editorial and advertising content in The Charlotte News. While we are funded by advertising revenue and donor contributions, our news judgments are made in accordance with our mission and independent of all sources of financial support, including support given through our affiliated 501(c)3 organization, The Friends of The Charlotte News. Letters, Commentaries and Obituaries Consistent with our mission The Charlotte News publishes letters to the editor, commentaries and obituaries from our readers. All letters, commentaries and obituaries are subject to review and approval by the news editor of the paper and to the following rules and standards: • Letters to the editor, commentaries and obituaries should be emailed to news@thecharlottenews. org as attachments in .doc format. All letters, commentaries and obituaries must contain the writer’s full name, town of residence and, for editing purposes only, phone number. • Letters may not exceed 300 words, obituaries 500 words and commentaries 750 words. • The opinions expressed in commentaries and letters to the editor belong solely to the author and are not to be understood as endorsed by either the Board of Directors or the editorial staff of the paper. • All published letters and commentaries will include the writer’s name and town of residence. • Before publishing any obituary, we will need proper verification of death. • All submissions are subject to editing for clarity, factual accuracy, tone, length and consistency with our house publishing style. • Whenever editing is necessary we will make every effort to publish each submission in its entirety and to preserve the original intent and wording. We will confer with writers before publishing any submitted material that in our judgment requires significant editing before it can be published. • The news editor makes the final determination whether a letter to the editor, a commentary or an obituary will be published as submitted, returned for rewriting or rejected. Publisher: Claudia Marshall (claudia@thecharlottenews.org) Editorial Staff Managing Editor: Anna Cyr (anna@thecharlottenews.org) News Editor: Chea Waters Evans (chea@thecharlottenews.org) Contributing Editor: Edd Merritt Copy editor: Beth Merritt Proofreaders: Edd Merritt, Mike & Janet Yantachka Business Staff Ad manager: Elizabeth Langfeldt (ads@thecharlottenews.org) Bookkeeper: Susan Jones (billing@thecharlottenews.org) Board Members President: Claudia Marshall (claudia@thecharlottenews.org) Treasurer: Ted leBlanc (treasurer@thecharlottenews.org) Board members: Vince Crockenberg, Bob Bloch, Gay Regan, Tom Tiller, John Quinney, Jack Fairweather, Christina Asquith, Ben Miller, Bailey Grattelo, John Hammer (emeritus) Technical advisor: Melissa Mendelsohn, Orchard Road Computers Website: thecharlottenews.org Subscription Information The Charlotte News is delivered at no cost to all Charlotte residences. Subscriptions are available for first-class delivery at $60 per calendar year. Want a subscription? Please send a check payable to The Charlotte News, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445. Postmaster/Send address changes to: The Charlotte News P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 Telephone: 425-4949 Circulation: 2,000 Copyright © 2020 The Charlotte News, Inc. Member of the New England Newspaper and Press Association, LION Publishers and the Vermont Press Association.
4 • October 1, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Report from the Legislature Legislative session ends… finally!
When the Legislature convened on Jan. 7 this year, no one thought we would still be meeting in September. We finally adjourned Friday, Sept. 25, after the longest Rep. Mike legislative session in Yantachka Vermont’s history. The coronavirus pandemic constituted a major disruption in the lives of everyone on the planet and is still doing so. After shutting down the Statehouse in March, the Legislature adapted. We came together virtually, stronger and more united in purpose, and immediately led with our values to support Vermonters and our communities through this trying time. We moved swiftly, always putting people first. We supported our neighbors with the help of aid from Congress and passed major legislation addressing other issues as well, including climate change and racial inequities.
restraint on a person that may prevent or hinder breathing, reduce intake of air, or impede the flow of blood or oxygen to the brain, and 2) failing to intervene and failing to report to a supervisor when an officer observes another officer using a prohibited restraint or otherwise using excessive force on a person.
There is no doubt that 2020 will go down in history as a momentous year. Along with COVID-19 and unprecedented wildfires throughout the West, it was marked by several high-profile killings of people of color and, most recently, by the death of Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In the same week RBG was being laid to rest, a grand jury in Louisville, Kentucky, failed to indict police officers for the killing of Breonna Taylor in her own apartment. Nationwide demonstrations over the killing of Taylor and George Floyd in Minneapolis, Minnesota, persisted throughout the summer and were inflamed this week by the results in the Taylor case. Locally, demonstrators in Burlington’s Battery Park have been demanding the firing of three police officers who were involved in several use of force incidents.
S.124 reorganizes the Criminal Justice Training Council as the Criminal Justice Council, whose job it is to train and professionally regulate law enforcement officers. It will now be a balanced council made up of civilians, including people representing BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People Of Color) communities, people who have lived experience with mental health conditions or psychiatric disorders, and a mental health crisis worker as well as representatives of law enforcement and the Attorney General’s office. The council will recommend statewide policies on officer qualifications, testing and training and will propose policies on use of body cams, surplus military equipment and facial recognition technology.
In recognition of the systemic racism impacting people of color, the Legislature took weeks of testimony regarding racial equity and police reform and passed two bills, S.119 and S.124. These bills build on S.219, an act addressing racial bias and excessive use of force by law enforcement, which passed in June and was signed into law in July. S.219 requires state law enforcement agencies to comply with reporting requirements on race data and use of force, including threatened force, during roadside stops. It also amends unprofessional conduct parameters for law enforcement to include 1) using a prohibited
S.119 modernizes statutory standards for law enforcement use of force and requires the standards to be implemented statewide. The last time the Legislature put restrictions on police use of force was in 1840, providing that a law enforcement officer will be guiltless if he kills or wounds someone while serving legal process or in suppressing opposition against him in the just and necessary discharge of his duty. The updated standards provide that the use of force by law enforcement is lawful if it is “objectively reasonable, necessary, and proportional,” and the use of deadly force is lawful if it is “objectively reasonable and necessary in defense of human life.”
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Additionally, this year’s budget allocates about $525,000 to embed mental health professionals with law enforcement. Hopefully, by clarifying the parameters of use of force and providing an alternative approach to de-escalating potential violence, we will be able to avoid excessive use of force incidents in the future. Finally, voting is underway with ballots mailed out statewide for the November election. Your vote is your voice. Use it! I welcome your emails (myantachka.dfa@ gmail.com) or phone calls (802-233-5238). This article and others can be found at my website (MikeYantachka.com).
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The Charlotte News • October 1, 2020 • 5
Town
Planning Commission public hearing on Land Use Regulations tonight
Sports Report High school sports as you’ve seldom seen them
The past weekend marked the beginning of high school sports Edd Merritt in Vermont as they have seldom been seen. Given the danger presented by the coronavirus for close physical contact or breath exposure, nearly every fall sport had to change its look – and in the case of football, its rules of the game. Tackle was out, touch was in; the running game gave away to a strictly passing contest; every kickoff started play from the receiving team’s 30-yard line. The changes did not end on the field, the pitch or the net. The number of live spectators in the stands was limited to allow the required space between fans. CVU athletes were given a certain number of tickets that they dispensed. Soccer, volleyball and field hockey players received three; football players got two apiece and cross-country runners could have a single member of their family attend races. “General admission” became a lost concept. CVU teams did fare well under the new rules. The field-hockey women faced
Larry Lewack
TOWN PLANNER
Rice, and after falling behind by a goal in the first period, came back to tie on a goal by Halley Chase, followed by the gamewinner in the fourth quarter by Peyton Jones. The Redhawk volleyball team took on Lyndon Academy outside and won all three sets to take the match by that 3-0 margin. Their spikes and blocks kept the ball on the Vikings side of the net for much of the contest.
The Charlotte Planning Commission has completed its work on this year’s batch of 22 proposed updates to the town’s Land Use Regulations, which govern what can be built in town. Now it’s seeking resident feedback on the draft, which includes a mix of policy changes, technical updates, and corrections. The hearing will be held Thursday, Oct. 1, online via Zoom at 7:10 p.m. Changing these ground rules for development has important real-world implications, if adopted. The proposed amendments are divided into three “buckets”:
(A) East Charlotte Village Commercial
Still looking like the days of “Soccer Central” with skilled footwork, passes to the open man and shots to the open part of the net, CVU soccer men shut out Rice 4-0. The Hawks have not lost a game since 2017, and, as is often the case, they were able to rely on a full team effort, preventing their opponents to focus on any individual.
District: updates and revised zoning district boundaries to facilitate business and residential development in the village center
(B) Accessory Farm Businesses:
to respond to Act 143, providing increased opportunity for farmbased accessory businesses to be launched and thrive in town, with a path for town regulation of potential impacts such as traffic, parking and pedestrian safety
(C) Technical Updates, Corrections
and Policy Changes: A range of major & minor updates, corrections and a few policy changes to address needed updates and corrections and clarifications in the 2016 Land Use Regulations, as adopted.
The proposals also include a change to the town zoning map to enlarge the zoning boundaries for the East Charlotte Village Commercial District. A total of 22 changes are in the three buckets, which will be voted upon separately at Town Meeting if endorsed by the Selectboard. The full text of all drafts, along with before and after versions of the East Village zoning map, and a jargon-free guide to explain the purpose, rationale and effect of each proposed change, is available on the town website at this link: http://bit.do/draft-LURupdates. Hard-copy prints of all materials are available upon request. The agenda for the Planning Commission’s Oct. 1 meeting, with login details, has been posted on the town website, linked from the “Meeting Calendar and Events” page. Please join us! For more info, contact me at (802) 4253533 ext. 206.
Summer is over but the food truck is still rolling! This fall, find us at Palmer’s Sugarhouse every Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m., as well as for the Maple 100, Oct. 11 from 12 to 5 p.m. We’re also rolling out weeknight delivery meals in Charlotte and will park at new locations throughout Chittenden County. Check our Facebook or website for more info. Thanks to Todd and Wendy at Point Bay Marina for such a fun and busy summer and thank you so much to our patrons for their kind words, love of lobster rolls, and weekly support.
cateringbydale.com • events@cateringbydale.com 802-497-1499
6 • October 1, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Education
Elementary students could get more in-person school: A letter from the superintendent Dear Family and Friends,
For the past two weeks, we have been assessing our readiness for bringing back our kindergarten students to four days per week of in-person instruction. This assessment included a review of our ability to maintain social distancing and all other DOH and AOE guidelines, as well as our capacity to provide stable and sufficient staffing. To that end, we sent a survey to our kindergarten families to understand what, if any changes, families might make if we were to institute this change. We held a Q &A session with Dr. Leah Costello for our kindergarten teachers, principals and school nurses. The results of the survey, as well as our review of the criteria, all indicate that we are ready to welcome our youngest students back for four days per week, beginning on Oct. 5. We will be undergoing this same level of assessment, review and planning for phasingin, over the next month, our Grades 1 through 4 students. This process will begin with our Grades 1 and 2 students. A survey will be going out later today to these parents. During the next two weeks, faculty and administration will conduct a thorough assessment of our criteria: • There is no or very low COVID activity in our communities. • Our ability to staff our classrooms remains stable and sufficient. • Our routines are efficient, effective, and any trouble spots are easily worked out. • We are able to maintain compliance with VT DOH and AOE guidance. • We are confident in the DOH’s ability to respond to any positive cases in our school community. Assuming a successful re-entry of our kindergarten and Grades 1 and 2 students, and our continued ability to meet all criteria, we would turn our focus to Grades 3 and 4. Here is the tentative timeline for this to happen. Oct. 6, Oct. 19, Oct. 26 Kindergarten students Mon. Tues. Thurs. Fri.—or Virtual Learning Academy; Grades 1 and 2 students Mon. Tues. Thurs. Fri.—or Virtual Learning Academy Grades 3 and 4
students Mon. Tues. Thurs. Fri.—or Virtual Learning Academy Please know and understand that all of these dates are tentative. If at any point, we are unable to meet the criteria we’ve set, the dates could be moved out or even canceled. In other news, we are including the October calendar with this newsletter. We cannot finalize the year’s calendar until the Legislature has acted upon an expected change to the statute. As soon as this has been accomplished, we will share our adjusted school year calendar. We do not anticipate many if any changes to the calendar that was shared in the spring. And finally, I know there is some confusion around the Secretary of Education’s announcement that schools are now in Phase III. In reality, there are very few changes to the guidance between these two phases. The social distancing requirement, three feet for students age 10 and under and six feet for our older students, has not changed. This does not mean that students must be socially distanced at three feet or six feet at all times. It does mean that we should do our best to minimize the number and amount of time that our students are in closer proximity and add other layers of protection when they are. For example, wearing our masks, sitting side-by-side instead of face-to-face, and being vigilant about hand hygiene all help to mitigate the transmission of the virus. The main areas of change are the clearance for our sports teams to hold competitions --Go Redhawks!—and the relaxing of the rules for use of our gyms and cafeterias. In Phase II these spaces could only be used as classroom overflow and only if absolutely necessary. In Phase III, these spaces may be used as long as we are still able to follow all other guidelines (social distancing e.g.). I hope you all have a very relaxing and restful weekend with your families. Sincerely, Elaine Elaine Pinckney is the superintendent of Champlain Valley School District.
Charlotte living! Cedar Spring Farm, McGuire Pent Rd, $2,425,000
Around Town Congratulations:
to Ava Rohrbaugh of Charlotte whose poem “Something Almost Here” was featured in the Burlington Free Press’ Young Writers Project on Sept. 25. In it Ava addresses the changing of the season as the leaves on trees around her develop voices “chafing in the crisp breathe of fall” and keeping her awake. They rattle with the ferocity of an inhale and breath back into the night. Their crispness as they turn sounds like gasping to her, “chafing in time with the cicadas.”
It has been a round trip over many years In a recent “Front Porch Forum” Laura Cahners-Ford mentioned her viewing of a large turtle crossing Hinesburg Road at the junction with Dorset Street. It’s been the number of years since I viewed the same venture with maybe the same snapper beginning its trip. I remember watching Eli Quickel as a youngster monitoring the start of the turtle’s crossing and signaling traffic to stop until it had made it to the south side. Has it taken these many years for the round trip and, if so, should the town put a stop light on the corner for traffic and turtles?
to Emma Volk and Eamon McDermott now of Cleveland, Ohio, who were married Aug. 15 in an outdoor wedding in Warren, VT. Emma grew up in Charlotte and is the daughter of Mary and Tim Volk.
Send us your photos!
to Jean Andersson-Swayze, M.D., a resident of Charlotte, who will receive one of the Vermont Medical Society’s Leadership Awards for 2020. The awards are made annually to people who have provided outstanding “contributions to the medical profession, to health organizations and to the welfare of the public.” Dr. Anderson-Swayze will receive the Physician Award for Community Service at the Annual Collaborative Meeting of the Vermont Medical Society, The Vermont Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, The Vermont Academy of Family Physicians and the Vermont Psychiatric Association on Nov. 7.
Charlotte events, people or places. We want to publish your photos. Email them to: news@TheCharlotteNews.org
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The Charlotte News • October 1, 2020 • 7
Hi, Neighbor! In his work, Kip Mesirow finds the sense on a molecular level It all started with a light fixture. Kip Mesirow was living in Berkeley, California and building houses when he got a job working at Phyl Newbeck Chez Panisse for the CONTRIBUTOR legendary chef Alice Waters. “They needed light fixtures,” he said. “So I went to the sheet metal shop with an idea, but they said they couldn’t do it because there was too much detail. I asked them to show me how to make a pattern and decided to see what I might be able to do on my own.”
It’s not just punched out from Home Depot.” Mesirow is the author of a book titled “The Care and Use of Japanese Woodworking Tools: Saws, Planes, Chisels, Marking Gauges, Stones”. “I’ve always appreciated the Japanese craftsmanship and sense of weight, balance, rhythm and texture,” he said. “There is a flavor and a feeling for that sort of thing which makes other styles look two-dimensional and flat.” Although Mesirow has tried to hire others to help him with his business, it hasn’t panned out. “I’ve tried employees and apprentices, but it’s hard to find someone who does the work because they enjoy doing it rather than wanting to get rich off it,” he said. “You’re not going to get rich over anything done by hand.”
Mesirow had a woodworking shop in Berkeley Hills and he bought some hand tools and began making copper pendant fixtures. “They were crude because the tools weren’t perfect,” he said, “but they had a handmade look which Alice appreciated. People started to see the fixtures and wanted to know where to get some, and one thing led to another.” Mesirow continued woodworking on the side, but in 1985 he opened Verdigris Copperworks. The name means greengray in French but it is also an old alchemic name for copper. Two decades ago, Mesirow’s daughter married a Vermonter. He and his wife, Mary, packed up all their belongings and had them shipped to Charlotte. “We wanted to be where the grandkids were and Berkeley was getting crowded,” he said, “so it was time to leave.” He set up a 1,700-square-foot studio with views of the Green Mountains and the Adirondacks. Mesirow continued doing woodworking, but his business mainly concentrated on copper, specifically light fixtures, lamps, sinks, fireplace fronts, hammered copper tiles and commissioned architectural
Kip and Mary Mesirow moved to Vermont from Berekeley, Ca. to be near his grandchildren. He works in copper fabrication and published a book about Japanese woodworking tools. Courtesy photo
details. Many of Mesirow’s customers are from the Berkeley area. “I still have architectural connections and past clients,” he said. “It’s a nice little business.” Mesirow hurriedly returned to Berkeley the day after a fire gutted part of Chez Panisse in 2013. “I was there for a couple of weeks to supervise and do a set of
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Mesirow cares deeply about the tools he uses. “All my big tools are old, but there is a quality to them,” he said. “They are meant for jobs that are done by hand and that’s what gives my work its look.
Although Mesirow still enjoys his work, he is getting ready to retire from the copper fabrication business as well as from woodworking. “I’ve got some physical issues and things start to add up,” he said. Still, the lure of creating something continues to pull him in. “It wouldn’t take much for me to start to put something together,” he said. “You can’t buy the enjoyment of figuring out how to do that.”
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drawings for the reconstruction,” he said. The renovations ended up winning a 2014 Berkeley Architectural Heritage Board Association award for restoration. “The whole restaurant is an evolution,” he said. “It was an old house. You work on one corner and another and your design sense changes from one corner to the other. It’s not continuous throughout the whole restaurant.”
For Mesirow, the creative process is an intimate one. “I have a style,” he said “and to stay in that style you need a center or something that you work around. You need to satisfy the needs of the piece and be faithful to who you are.” For Mesirow, it’s all about weight, pressure, balance and rhythm. “It’s like two pieces of furniture that you can put together even though they are separate,” he said. “The space between them makes sense, almost on a molecular level.” Mesirow described his creations as being “held together by pressures and shadows and rhythm. There is a mass and a weight that fits in with the air around them,” he said.
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8 • October 1, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Town Charlotte Family Health Center taking steps to stay in town Chea Waters Evans
The Charlotte Family Health Center on Ferry Road is temporarily moving to Shelburne at the end of the month, with hope to come back for good next year. The center’s old location is for sale, and the doctors who own the practice are in the application process to build a new facility in the center of town. Septic, water, wetland and other issues have slowed the process and sometimes threaten to halt it, but on Sept. 17 the Planning Commission approved the site plan review sketch and boundary adjustment, which allows the CFHC to move ahead. Dr. Andrea Regan, a physician with the practice who lives in Charlotte, said during the meeting that when speaking of the building, the neighbors nearby, and the traffic in the center of town, she has been thinking of the project in terms of what it would be like if the center were being built next door to her. Dr. Alex Graham, who also attended the meeting, said they “thought and talked a lot about the impact” on area residents. The building, which would be on the south side of Ferry Road between Greenbush Road and Route 7, would be located on a property that has been vacant for many years, mostly due to building challenges because of wetlands located in the back of the property. Dr. Paul Reiss, who is spearheading the project on behalf of the CFHC, described the building design (the fifth version of a sketch plan that was submitted to the PC, see photo) during the meeting. He pointed to “significant wetland restraints,” but said the latest version of the building design and location allows the practice to include green space on both sides of the building, no street parking, adequate parking in back, and a
portico on the west side of the building to protect vulnerable patients during drop-off. Exam rooms will have doors leading directly to them from the outside, a recent necessity in a COVID world. Reiss and Regan also said there will be a fence protecting the neighbors from unsightly parking lot and dumpster views, and all efforts will be made to preserve as much vegetation on the property as possible. The one-story building plan received approval so far from Laurie Thomas who spoke on behalf of the Trails Committee after receiving reassurance from the doctors that they would honor the current landowner’s commitment to allow the Town Link Trail to cross the property. Neighbor René Kaczka-Vallière attended the meeting and said he “would like to see some movement in improving that space” and was glad to be reassured that a willow tree in the wetlands would remain in place. Regan said, “We are currently submitting the redesign to Wetlands and waiting for the wastewater committee recommendations to go to the Selectboard so we can apply for septic.” After months of discussion last year, the Selectboard approved possible hookup for local businesses to town septic should no other options be available; the CFHC will be the first to apply for the arrangement, which would allow them to pay the town directly for whatever septic they use. Once the final application to the PC is approved, there will be a joint hearing with the Zoning Board of Adjustment for boundary adjustment site plan review and conditional use. As the process moves along, the CFHC will be located in a temporary rented space at Shelburne Green on Route 7 in Shelburne.
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Find and follow us on social media for new listings and updates! @WarrenStrausserGroup Charlotte Family Health Center submitted this design possibility for a new facility on Ferry Road; though there is street parking in this design, the health center will not pursue that portion of the project. Sketch plan courtesy Chris Huston from ReArch
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Into the Woods Eastern hemlock: A profile CONTRIBUTOR
this has happened to you, you have already had the unique experience of entering a hemlock forest.
Many of us have had the experience of walking through the woods when suddenly the raucous sounds and green-tinted light of a deciduous forest become dark and quiet. If
Eastern hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) forests appeal to our intuitive sense of aesthetics, with a tight-knit canopy and a park-like,
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Most shade-tolerant trees have a simple strategy: they play a centuries-long game of tortoise-versus-hare. Slowly and persistently they establish in the forest’s understory, waiting for an opportunity to grow upwards. Outpaced by faster-growing, shorter-lived tree species, hemlocks persist in the shade as other trees decline and die over the course of decades. When they finally reach the canopy, hemlocks create dense stands where very little light reaches the forest floor, making conditions where few trees but hemlocks can survive. Because of this strategy, in stable forests where large-scale disturbances occur infrequently shade-tolerant, long-lived tree species like hemlock are often the most common. Prior to European settlement, eastern hemlock and American beech (another long-lived, shade-tolerant tree species) were by far Vermont’s most common tree species. Eastern hemlock’s range extends from Minnesota to Prince Edward Island and from southern Ontario and Quebec down to northern Alabama and Georgia, growing largely at higher elevations in the southern portion of its range. In Vermont, one often finds hemlock on sandy or gravelly soils, growing with red spruce and white pine, or on swampy soils with a high water table, alongside red maple and yellow birch. Their ability to grow on the steep slopes of riverside ravines, stabilizing soils and shading streams, make them an invaluable species for protecting water quality and aquatic habitat.
Growing and regenerating hemlock is notoriously difficult. Like yellow birch, their seeds struggle to germinate except where
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open understory. The reasons for the unique feel of hemlock (no relation to the Socrateskilling poison) forests—and the keys to hemlock’s survival strategy—are tolerance and persistence. Hemlock is Vermont’s most shade-tolerant tree species, capable of surviving with little to no direct sunlight. Like many of our shade-tolerant tree species, hemlock is also long-lived, capable of living 300 years and occasionally up to 600.
Hemlock stands provide important habitat for some of our wildlife, most notably white-tailed deer. Because of their tightknit canopies, hemlock stands tend to be warmer and have less snow than other forest types. For this reason, hemlock forests often function as deer wintering areas or deer yards, areas where deer congregate in the winter and which are critical to their survival.
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The Charlotte News • October 1, 2020 • 9
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The reasons for the unique feel of hemlock forests are tolerance and persistence. Courtesy photo
soils that have been scarified—where the top few inches have been scuffed up—or on rotting wood. For this reason (also like yellow birch), managing for hemlock in the summertime, and allowing some scarification to occur, can improve their chances of regenerating. Hemlocks are slow-growing and out-competed by other species in the open, so creating tiny gaps in the canopy, from a single tree to 1/8 of an acre, will also encourage them. Leaving lots of dead wood on the forest floor following forest management can also provide seedbeds for future generations of hemlock. Hemlock wood is notoriously fickle, heavy and hard to work, and less valuable than other softwoods like white pine and spruce, but is increasingly being utilized as lowercost building material. While it is stronger and harder than these other softwoods, it isn’t truly rot-resistant—although many have touted it as such. Historically, hemlock bark, with its high tannic acid content, was the most valuable product that the species provided, used in the leather-making process by tanneries. Like our ash trees, hemlock is under threat from an introduced (exotic) forest pest. The hemlock wooly adelgid (HWA) has wiped out hemlock forests throughout the Appalachians. This pest is in Vermont, established in Windham and southern Windsor counties, and presents an existential threat to our hemlock forests. While populations of this pest seem limited by Vermont’s winters, we expect HWA to spread as our climate changes. It could also be easily introduced to other parts of the state by transportation of hemlock, so consult with state guidelines before moving hemlock material anywhere. The loss of Vermont’s hemlock forests would be devastating not just to this species, but to all the other species that rely this unique tree species. You can learn more about HWA, and how to manage in light of it, here: https:// vtinvasives.org/invasive/hemlock-woollyadelgid. Ethan Tapper is the Chittenden County Forester. He can be reached at ethan. tapper@vermont.gov or (802) 585-9099.
10 • October 1, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Town Tree planted to honor Monica Smith Chea Waters Evans
Anyone who knew Monica Smith knew that she loved to be around kids, so near the playground at Charlotte Central School is the perfect spot for a memory tree in her honor. The former CCS principal, who spent almost 20 years guiding the youth of Charlotte, passed away earlier this year. Friends and family gathered to plant an oak tree last Wednesday on the school grounds; Smith’s friend, longtime CCS teacher Rookie Manning, spoke of her love for kids and family. Past colleagues, friends, current administrators, and Monica Smith students—over 50 people— File photo showed up to keep their distance but connect all the same as they celebrated the life and memory of a woman with a big smile and boundless energy who helped several generations of Charlotte kids become the best they could be. The tree, from Horsford’s nursery, was purchased through donations from colleagues, both retired and still teaching, who were also her friends. Photos by Rookie Manning
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Gardening Plant bulbs now for spring bloom Bonnie Kirn Donahue CONTRIBUTOR
Do your future self a favor and plant spring-blooming bulbs this fall. Depending on where you live, there can be a month or more after the snow recedes in spring until we see flowers. Planting spring-flowering bulbs shortens this window and packs a ton of color, contrast and liveliness against a backdrop of the slowly awakening earth. Springflowering bulbs are an incredibly hopeful presence in a time of cool temperatures and unpredictable forecasts. The key to having bulbs bloom in the spring is to plant them in the fall. The best time to plant is mid-September through October when temperatures are cooler. Fall-planted bulbs need weeks of hibernation in a dark, moist and cool environment to slowly develop roots in preparation for spring. There are many types, sizes and colors. Scilla, snowdrops and crocus are small bulbs that look beautiful en masse. Scilla happily can spread under the right conditions, creating carpets of blue in gardens and lawns. Tulips, daffodils and hyacinths tend to be taller with larger more vibrant colors. These bulbs are showstoppers whether
The Charlotte News • October 1, 2020 • 11
spaced closely together or far apart. To plant spring-flowering bulbs, choose a site with well-drained soil and full to part sun. For best results, get a soil test to determine your soil’s fertilizer needs for bulbs. Fertilizing the soil at planting can help the bulbs stay healthy and larger in future seasons. Soil tests can be obtained from the University of Vermont Agricultural and Environmental Testing Laboratory (https:// pss.uvm.edu/ag_testing). The depth of planting depends on bulb size, although as a rule, plant bulbs at a depth of two to three times the height of the bulb. Depending on the number of bulbs, you can dig holes individually for each bulb or dig out a larger area and plant multiple bulbs in the hole. Smaller bulbs like scilla, snowdrops and crocus can be planted closer to one another, about one to two inches apart, while tulips and daffodils should be planted three to six inches apart. Make sure that the tip of the bulb points up to the sky, and water well after planting. To prevent squirrels, mice and other critters from digging up your tulip bulbs, use wire mesh to make a barrier around all sides and the top of the bed after planting. An alternative is to select bulbs that do not
Bulbs planted now are worth the long wait, exploding with color when spring finally arrives. Photo by Bonnie Kirn Donahue
attract rodents. Daffodils are poisonous, for example, so rodents, as well as deer, will leave them alone. In the spring resist the temptation to cut back the foliage immediately after flowering. It is a good practice to trim back the seed head but leave the foliage until it dies back and yellows. This allows time for the bulbs to send energy from the plant foliage back into the bulbs and will produce bulbs that are larger with showier flowers in the future. While crocuses, scilla and daffodils can be left in the ground year-round, tulips
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and hyacinths should be dug up after their foliage has dried out. Store these bulbs in a dry, well-ventilated area until time to replant in the fall. To bring the joy of spring flowers inside, plant a tulip cutting garden. If you have a vegetable garden or raised bed with spaces that are opening up this fall, use a small area to plant tulips for spring cutting. Keep in mind that it will take at least a few weeks for the foliage to die back next year, which means that this part of your vegetable garden won’t be available for planting until around mid-June. Plan to plant something in this area that can handle a later start date, such as cucumbers, summer squash, heat-tolerant greens or beans. There is nothing like starting spring with the fantastic colors of spring bulbs. Planting bulbs now will pay off in incredible ways after a long winter. Bonnie Kirn Donahue is a UVM Extension master gardener and landscape designer from central Vermont.
12 • October 1, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Sacred Hunter
Saving a shot for the greater good It is dusk on a glorious October evening. I am sitting quietly in my tree stand 15 feet above a well-worn deer trail. When I was younger, I would breathe the Bradley Carleton thinner air 25 and 30 feet up, but now, as I have ripened to the age of 61 years, I find it almost masochistic to climb up to even 15 feet. You see, typically whitetail deer do not look up, but my experience has been that if I can elevate my scent trail to the currents that flow above them, I am much more concealed. As I sit on the aluminum seat with a pad under my bony behind, I marvel at the foliage around me. It feels like I am in the hall of the mountain king surrounded by golden arches of fluttering leaves. When the gentle wind rocks the upper branches I can hear the plop-plop-plop of acorns hitting the dry ground below me. The earth is scraped up from squirrels during the day competing with deer in the evening for the nutritious mast crops of beech, white and red acorns, hickory, and butternuts. I am in a perfect state of grace. I am tied to the trunk of the tree and we sway together. I breathe the crisp clean northern breeze, carrying fragrances of decaying leaves and nuts. I can smell the raw earth—its musty diatomaceous aroma. A whiff of lake air wraps around my face. It is the lake turning over and surrendering the summer vegetation to the surface. In the distance a twig snaps. I turn my head slowly in the direction of the sound and stare through the brush and trees. I see nothing. But I sense that something is nearby. Could it be a squirrel? No. Squirrels don’t snap twigs when they jump on them. Could it be a coyote? A bear? A fisher cat maybe? Or, could it be what I am here to see? Minutes pass and my heart begins to pace a little faster. Another twig breaks. Then a snort. A short burst of air from an animal’s nose to clear its nasal passages so that it can breathe in any scents that are being blown through the woods. It is then that I know that this is a whitetail deer. And he (or she) is testing the currents to learn what is up ahead before he/ she walks forward into the wind. Then a stomp. A loud thud against the dry earth. That’s when I see it. The hoof hitting the ground. Just a short section of a front leg, the shank of the deer. It steps forward and its body is revealed from behind the fiery red bush. It picks up its head to sniff the air again and that is when I see the rack. It’s a buck. I do not look closely at the antlers to count the points. I know it’s a good size rack, but I have learned that if I stare at the horns my focus will not be where I need it to be. He moves further down the trail toward me. I stand slowly as his head passes behind the large trunk of a maple. I am standing now, and my bow is in my hand. My release is clamped onto the nocking point on my
Archery season begins today, Oct. 1. Photo by Bradley Carleton
bowstring. I stand on my narrow platform fully camouflaged in 3-D leafy fabric. Every inch of my body is covered. The buck continues walking toward me and stops to graze on some of the acorns under a nearby oak. He puts his head down to feed, then picks it up and I can see him chewing the nuts. His jaws move from side to side, grinding the tasty white acorns. He walks further toward me and is now right under my stand. My heart is beating wildly. I can feel my pulse in my ears. I watch as he walks under my stand and never draw my bow. “Why?” you might ask. Because the property that I hunt on has a very large whitetail population, and it is destroying the native vegetation. The herd is too large for the carrying capacity of the land. That means that there is not enough food for the number of deer on this property, and their health is beginning to suffer from it. So, as a conservationist and someone who loves these animals enough to study them and understand their habits and ecosystem, I have sworn to the landowner that I will not shoot a buck until I have harvested at least one doe. It is our duty as conservationists that we harvest these beautiful beings not for our own ego, but in the best interest of the herd. If there are 20 does on this property and each of them has an average of two fawns, the population grows out of control very quickly. So, as a part of my promise, I adhere to the rules and let this big bruiser walk by. Perhaps tomorrow evening I will see a doe and take my shot. But for tonight, I have experienced the awesome beauty of a majestic beast. And I honor his life. This, my friends, is what “sacred hunting” is all about. Bradley Carleton is executive director of Sacred Hunter.org, a nonprofit that seeks to educate the public on the spiritual connection of man to nature.
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The Charlotte News • October 1, 2020 • 13
Outdoors Outdoor pleasures and curiosities While birdsong no longer wakes us in the early hours, there’s still plenty happening in the great outdoors. A great horned owl recently filled the night with its Elizabeth Bassett haunting call; critters CONTRIBUTOR are preparing for the long winter ahead; and early foliage has turned the local canvas from green to red and yellow.
Farm walks
The website DigInVermont lists a number of farms across the state that welcome visitors for walks. Trillium Farm in Hinesburg is on the list as well as Shelburne Farms (see below) and Champlain Valley Hops in Starksboro. See where your food (and beer) come from! diginvt.com/trails
Snappers
Vermont’s Herp Atlas records baby turtles emerging from eggs starting in late August into early October. (Herpetology is the study of amphibians, including frogs, toads, salamanders and newts, and reptiles, among them snakes, lizards and turtles.) From their nests the babies instinctively find their way to nearby bodies of water. The snapping turtle nest in our neighborhood is empty, although there’s no certainty that the eggs hatched rather than being eaten. Many Northern Map and Painted turtles overwinter without leaving their nests, emerging the following spring.
Vernal pool summary
The season was short this year at the vernal pool at Raven Ridge. Ice-out was several weeks earlier than last year, and, with little snow pack, run-off was minimal. Right on schedule in late March, wood frogs sang; soon fertilized egg masses floated just below the surface. A few weeks later, after significant predation, tadpoles emerged and swam in the dark waters. Salamanders do not herald their courtship by vocalizing but produce fertilized eggs nonetheless. By early May miniscule salamander embryos could be seen within floating egg masses. The lack of spring rains took a toll with the pool shrinking and becoming shallow. More than a month before the water evaporated on July 6, 2019, our pool vanished, taking with it tadpoles that would never become frogs and salamanders that would never emerge from their eggs.
Vermont Center for Ecostudies has mapped nearly 5,000 potential vernal pools across the state. Monitoring data provides a baseline that can be used to measure changes to these unique wetlands.
a bit of hard work, this is a great chance to explore the natural area with Kate Kelly, a knowledgeable naturalist. Contact Kate if you would like to volunteer at lewiscreekorg@gmail.com or 488-5203.
Snake news
Formal gardens at Shelburne Farms
Some snakes in Vermont, including garter snakes, give birth to live young. This is an advantage in a cooler climate as the mother snake can keep her body in the sun and thus keep developing embryos warm. For the same reason, egg-laying snakes in Vermont retain eggs in their bodies longer than southern species. Only one snake in Vermont stays with its young until they shed their skin for the first time, about two weeks. Snakes overwinter below ground, usually uphill from where they spend the summer months. Look (carefully) for snakes crossing sun-warmed roads at this time of year as they migrate to their winter homes.
How do we know all of this? Early each spring we suspend an acoustic recorder from a tree at the water’s edge. It records, for several hours each day, the courtships songs of wood frogs. A thermometer rests at the bottom of the pool, attached to a measuring pole; together they measure depth and temperature. When the water evaporates, the temperature spikes as the thermometer records warmer air temperatures.
Invasive iris removal
Pandemic or not, invasives continue to intrude on our landscape. This Saturday, Oct. 3 (backup/rain date October 4), Lewis Creek Association is organizing a COVIDcompliant project to remove yellow iris in Ferrisburgh at the Little Otter Wildlife Management Area. These non-native iris threaten local blue flag iris. Along with
If you have not walked at Shelburne Farms during the pandemic, now is the time. The property is as beautiful as ever even if it’s a bit quiet without tractors drawing wagons full of tourists and families visiting the Children’s Farmyard. Crops and gardens continue to grow, animals are born, grow, and are harvested, and Brown Swiss Cows produce milk that becomes Shelburne Farms’ famous cheddar cheese. If you walk at the farm, detour to the Formal Gardens in front of the Inn. These historic gardens have been restored in a multi-million-dollar project that began in 2007. The results are beautiful, and the gardens are exploding with colorful shrubs and flowers. Historic pots, pergola, sundial, a pair of sculpted lions, and the lakeside balustrade have been repaired or replaced with historic replicas. Flora is lush and will remain so until frosts reach the lakeshore. If you appreciate Shelburne Farms and its mission of education for a sustainable future, consider a donation to help this nonprofit through difficult times. If the farm can raise $500,000 in new and increased gifts before year end, The Robert W. Wilson Trustees will give $250,000 to Shelburne Farms. Shelburnefarms.org. Get outdoors!
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14 • October 1, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Town Library news Library Hours:
Monday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (closed noon to 1 p.m. for cleaning) Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (closed noon to 1 pm for cleaning) Margaret Woodruff Wednesday: 10 a.m. to DIRECTOR 3 p.m. (closed noon to 1 pm for cleaning) Thursday: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (closed noon to 1 pm for cleaning) Friday: CLOSED to the public, open for porch pickup Saturday: CLOSED to the public, open for porch pickup Porch Pickup Hours: Monday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday: 10 a.m. to noon From Monday to Thursday, the library will be open to groups by appointment from 3 to 4 p.m. Each appointment slot is 30 minutes and allows for up to 8 people in a pod/family group to enter together. Please contact the library at info@charlottepubliclibrary.org for details. Activity Kits: Check out our new collection of activity kits available to check out. Enjoy on your own or with friends and family. Everything from Archaeology to Zentangles, including our seasonal crafts (see below.) Bookshelf Pumpkin Craft Kit: Create a festive pumpkin for your bookshelf using an old paperback! Simple instructions and all the supplies you need are available for pick up at the library porch. Email us at info@ charlottepubliclibrary.org so we can set aside a kit for you! Kits available Oct. 12 through Oct. 26.
Programs at the Charlotte Library In-Person: The Big Green Draw: Oct. 7–25 YOU ARE INVITED to participate in “My Backyard,” a woven community collage of our Charlotte living environment, the first Charlotte Community Big Draw event! The Big Draw is a global festival in
Wildcraft Walk: Harvesting food from the natural world Monday, Oct. 12: 1 to 4 p.m. Join Elliot Cluba of Herbs and Arrows for a walk on a local trail to explore the wild food and medicine right in our own backyard! We’ll take a walk to do some plant identification and harvesting, and then gather ‘round (at safe social distances, of course) to talk about how to use what we’ve found. Sign up at www.eventbrite.com/e/wildcraftharvesting-food-from-the-natural-worldtickets-122737088937 October that showcases the power of drawing throughout the world as a form of communication, expression, reflection, creativity and discovery. It is recognized to help make sense of an uncertain world. This year the global festival theme is “the Big Green Draw: A Climate of Change,” focusing on the relationship between people and their living environments, a theme so relevant to our Charlotte community theme of “resilience.” All ages with or without any artistic experience are invited to pick up a strip of paper for you to draw your interpretation of your backyard. Then, it is up to you to explore, play with lines, textures, shapes, patterns that reflect your own backyard. Your interpretations can be realistic, abstract, or something in between. You can be inspired by a whole scene, or the subtilties of a close-up examination. Think of this as an exercise in mark making. Our collective drawings will be woven and displayed on the Town Green later in the month. Important dates: Oct. 7–14: Pick up paper strips and art supplies at the Charlotte Library Oct. 19: Due date to return artwork to library Oct. 23–24: Volunteers will help weave our collective collage to be hung on the Town Green. Oct. 25–29: Enjoy the Big Green (Charlotte) Draw! Food in Your Backyard Events at the Charlotte Library: Oct. 11–17 Story Walk on the Town Green: Stroll around and enjoy this new story display of Before We Eat: Farm to Table. Milk doesn’t just appear in the refrigerator, nor do apples grow in the bowl on the kitchen counter. Before we eat, many people work very hard―planting grain, catching fish, tending animals, filling crates and stocking shelves.
Play, Eve Rodsky as she illuminates the need to re-establish our values and provides tools to clearly define roles and expectations to divvy up the workload fairly and communicate with grace and generosity. Registration required for Zoom event. Men’s Book Group: The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks Wednesday, Oct. 21, 7:30 p.m. Her name was Henrietta Lacks, but scientists know her as HeLa. She was a poor black tobacco farmer whose cells—taken without her knowledge in 1951—became one of the most important tools in medicine, vital for developing the polio vaccine, cloning, gene mapping, in vitro fertilization, and more. Print copies available at the library circulation desk. Please email info@charlottepubliclibrary. org for a Zoom invite.
Online via Zoom (see each listing for details) Coding Club Wednesdays at 3 p.m., Oct. 7–Nov. 11 Join coding mentor Charlie and Susanna on Zoom for an hour of coding and connection. All levels are welcome to learn Scratch or hone their Scratch coding skills. Ready to take your coding know-how to the next level? We’ll have a breakout room for kids with more experience who are interested in an introduction to Python, a coding language the pros use. 4th grade and up. Six-week session. Registration is required.
For the latest information about programs, books and activity kits, consider subscribing to our e-newsletter. Library Contact Information Margaret Woodruff, Director Cheryl Sloan, Youth Services Librarian Susanna Kahn, Tech Librarian Phone: 802-425-3864 Email: info@charlottepubliclibrary.org
Book Discussion Group: Water by Alice Outwater Thursday, Oct. 15, 7:30 p.m. An environmental engineer turned ecology writer relates the history of our waterways and her own growing understanding of what needs to be done to save this essential natural resource. Please email info@ charlottepubliclibrary.org for a Zoom invite. Mystery Book Group: Murder at the Vicarage and The ABC Murders Monday, Oct. 19, 10 a.m. Agatha Christie’s detectives go head to head as we read the top mysteries featuring Miss Marple of St. Mary Mead and the indomitable Hercules Poirot. Print copies are available at the circulation desk and online versions available through Hoopla. Please email info@ charlottepubliclibrary.org for a Zoom invite. Q & A with Fair Play Author Eve Rodsky Tuesday, Oct. 20, 7 p.m. Working from home colliding with homeschooling has become a new norm. Join New York Times bestselling author of Fair
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The Charlotte News • October 1, 2020 • 15
waiting list. However, not to worry, the Ittleman’s park is now open daily to the public until November. The website states: “There are plenty of wide-open spaces for social distancing. Dogs must be leashed.” See also Lemonfairsculpturepark.com.
Carolyn Kulik SENIOR CENTER DIRECTOR
“I sit beside the fire and think Of all that I have seen Of meadow flowers and butterflies In summers that have been; Of yellow leaves and gossamer In autumns that there were With morning mist and silver sun And wind upon my hair. I sit beside the fire and think Of how the world will be When winter comes without a spring That I shall ever see. For still there are so many things That I have never seen In every wood in every spring There is a different green. I sit beside the fire and think Of people long ago And people that will see a world That I shall never know. But all the while I sit and think Of times there were before I listen for returning feet And voices at the door.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien The Fellowship of the Ring _______________________________ Outdoor activities are quickly drawing to a close—unless you like skiing and snow shoeing. For many of us, however, those pastimes are past times. Still, there is much to appreciate about being here, and as one poem today suggested: Hug a tree. This could become popular now.
Outdoor Activities Kayaking for Women has ended for this year and the kayakers were lucky to have unseasonably warm, dry weather. Unhappy trees, happy people. 10/3, Saturday – Lemon Fair Sculpture Park with Frank and Elaine Ittleman Folks called early, so this event is full with a
Please note that the very popular Birding Expeditions with Hank Kaestner are fully enrolled for both October and November with waiting lists for both—and no more additions possible. 10/6 – Fall Road Hikes in the Champlain Valley with Joan Mollica continue on Tuesdays. There is some space, so if you are interested, please call and leave a message at 425-6345. Be sure to include your name, phone number and email address for the contact tracing log. The next hike is on the Charlotte Link Trail. The one on 10/13 is to Niquette Bay State Park, Colchester.
Courses
Other than outdoor activities, all courses are online—and all require registration. Register by sending your name and mailing address to CSCZoom@gmavt.net. Be sure to note the name of the course in the memo line. You will receive confirmation that you are registered. If there is a fee, kindly pay by check (made out to CSC) and send to P.O. Box 207, Charlotte, VT 05445. Be sure to note the name of the course in the memo line. For courses with limited dates, kindly pay prior to the start of the course. The second in the series of online balance classes from DeePT is starting next week. To sign up, please follow the directions above. Really, couldn’t we all benefit from improved balance? 10/6 – Better Balance II: Comprehensive Balance Exercise Tuesday and Friday mornings, 11–11:45. Dates: 10/6–11/13. (6 FullDoctors Service Marina weeks) of Physical Therapy from Dee Physical TherapySHIP’S will lead a 6-week series Fully stocked STORE of classes designed to improve your balance • Fishing / Hunting Licenses and reduce fall risk. This program, a more • Boating intensive versionAccessories of Better Balance I, consists • Beer / Wine / Snacks of two classes per week with progressive advancement towards more complex balance Ethanol Free Fuel exercises. For individuals of varied balance Mooring System Installation abilities; recommendations will be made to Factory-trained Service Department adjust exercise difficulty. No fee.
10/23 – Writing Your Life Story with Laurie McMillan Fridays, 11–12:30. Dates: 10/23, 10/30, 11/6 & 11/13. How can you make your memories interesting to a reader? Explore storytelling techniques and utilize in-class exercises to help launch your own meaningful and important stories. Newcomers welcome. Registration required. Fee: $30 for the 4-part series of 90-min. classes.
10/21: Medical Imaging: 1895 To the Present with Rick Goldman Take a look at the changes in medical imaging, particularly Neuroradiology, which parallel the advances we have seen in the technology we use in our daily lives.
Events in October
Art Exhibit The Senior Center’s monthly art exhibits continue and visitors are welcome. To see an art exhibit, please schedule an appointment at least 24 hours in advance. Viewing days are Tuesday and Thursday between 1 and 3 p.m. Leave a message anytime at 425-6345 and include your name and phone number for a confirmation of your appointment.
All free, Wednesday events at 1 p.m. are now online Zoom gatherings. The invitation/ link for each week will be posted at CharlotteSeniorCenterVT.org by the day before the presentation. As well, this link will be supplied in Front Porch Forum in Charlotte and in surrounding towns. Please note: Registration is not required. 10/7: Preparing to Prepare Your Advanced Directive with Tina D’Amato, DO An interactive introduction on how to prepare this important document that helps communicate your medical wishes at end of life. We will review the Vermont Advanced Directive Form, clarify its wording, and learn how to register the form once complete. We will also look at resources to help you complete the forms. Dr. D’Amato is a family medicine physician working at Charlotte Family Health. 10/12: Annual Meeting Of The Friends Of Charlotte Senior Center Monday at 1 p.m. Join us to become better acquainted with the workings of our organization. An update of our financial position will be given, any questions will be answered, and the election of board members will take place. Hope to “see” you there—on Zoom. 10/14: COVID-19: Ten Months In, Where Do We Stand? with Jim Hyde This session will provide a quick update from a public health perspective about what is currently known about routes of exposure, the prevalence of infection, testing, and prevention and control. We will also look at the latest information on vaccine development and new therapeutics. At least half the time will be devoted to Q&A. Jim is an Emeritus Professor of Public Health at the Tufts University School of Medicine and former Director of Preventive Medicine at the Massachusetts Dept. of Public Health.
10/28: A Mile of Ice Above Us with Craig Heindel Learn about the most recent geologic history of Vermont and the Champlain Valley.
The new show this month is: October Art Exhibit—Photography by Mike Sipe and Photography by James Regan. In their own words: “The Lake Champlain region is my unparalleled muse; the beauty of the lake, skies, mountains, valley and the people enjoying its splendor. I don’t have to travel the world to find world-class beauty; it is here, in my own backyard. My ability to find the area’s essence is evolving and it is exhilarating to me.” – Mike Sipe “I particularly like to photograph the birds that thrive on Vermont’s lakes – sandpipers and great blue herons. It’s fascinating to get up close to things like sunflowers and milkweed with a zoom lens and show the details that people usually overlook—it’s almost another world. I like to bring out what is special about the mundane.” – James Regan Considering getting yourself out into a noncrowded space to see some beautiful work. It might just lift your spirits. Be careful. Stay well. We are all in this together. _____________________ The Senior Center’s mission is to serve those 50 and up; if a course is not full, preseniors may also enroll. Residents from other communities are always welcome. There are no membership fees. Feel free to leave a message anytime at 425-6345; voicemail is checked frequently. ______________________
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16 • October 1, 2020 • The Charlotte News
Town
Property transfers June to August 2020
June 2 Amber Thibault to Ayrin Thibault, 5 acres with dwelling, 21 Whispering Meadows, $176,642.70.
Aug. 7 Alison Gardner to Douglas Todd and Annie Rosenthal, 1.10 acres with dwelling, 2678 Dorset Street, $581,000.
June 3 Bruce R. and Stella L. Palmer to Joseph Lasek and Carina Cartelli, 3.7 acres with dwelling, 504 Cattail Road, $550,000.
Aug. 12 Robert Botjer to Montgomery Family Revocable Trust, Charles and Jennifer Montgomery Trustees, 3.17 acres with dwelling, 719 Converse Bay Road, $1,200,000.
June 9 KR Properties LLC to Alan Jeffrey Budney Trust and Catherine Stanger, 4.6 acres land only, Lot 7, 100 One Mile Road. June 12 Hodges Family LLC to Kenneth Bogdanowicz, seasonal cottage, 2751 Thompson’s Point Road, $885,000. June 12 Adventure 15 LLC to Stacey C. Sigmon Trust, .14 acre with dwelling, 14 Common Way, $389,579.85. June 17 KR Properties LLC to Susan Tobin, 8.3 acres, land only, 5049 Mt. Philo Road Lot #8, $285,000. June 17 Anne B. Mason, Trustee, to Jesse and Kyra Wegman, 4.94 acres with dwelling, 2687 Greenbush Road, $890,000. June 19 KR Properties LLC to Ernest Silagyi and Patricia Di Ruocco, 32.1 acres, lot only, 5039 Mt. Philo Road #9, $550,000. June 24 Stacey C. Sigmon Trust to Kris and Julia Sprague, .07 acre with dwelling, 5 Common Way, $320,000. June 26 Cedar Beach Trust to Andrew Thurber and Kathryn Perkins, 7.02 acres, 1/6 interest 290 Converse Bay Road, $6,615. June 26 Cedar Beach Trust to Andrew Thurber and Kathryn Perkins, 10.13 acres, ½ interest 320 Converse Bay Road, $130,885. June 29 David Harcourt and Jennifer Chiodo to Daniel and Jane MacLean, 5.14 acres with dwelling, 629 Orchard Road, $325,000. July 1 Victoria and Robert Zulkoski to Steven and Rhonda Staver, Trustees of the Staver Family Trust, 3.49 acres with dwelling, 233 Thorpe Cove Road, $1,630,000. July 2 Benjamin and Sarah Crockett to Alison and Jeffrey Novak, 31.4 acres with dwelling, 6659 Spear Street, $880,000. July 2 James Unsworth and Pamela Chew McGarry Unsworth to Samuel Darling, 6.4 acres with dwelling, 159 White Birch Lane, $282,000. July 6 Green Mountain Boy Scouts of America to Brian and Katherine O’Connell, 7.3 acres land only, 920 Lewis Creek Road, $12,000. July 9 Amy Henry and Michael Vincent to Lindie Martin and Jeremy Holtzman, 1.36 acres with dwelling, 100 Mutton Hill Drive, $369,000. July 10 Erin Mahony to Richard and Cheryl Mintzer, 5 acres with dwelling, 1092 Roscoe Road, $534,000. July 13 Nathan Sacklow to Michael Toof, .52 acres with dwelling, 3162 Greenbush Road, $299,900. July 13 Nancy Preston Sabin to Julia and John Rice, 2.54 acres with dwelling, 2346 Greenbush Road, $638,500. July 20 Katie and James Fraser to Christopher John Walsh and Sarah Hasazi, 1 acre with dwelling, 2374 Spear Street, $371,000. July 27 Derek and Catherine Chace to Saiyid Jaafar Razvi, 5.5 acres with dwelling, 150 E. Thompson’s Point Road, $455,000.
Aug. 14 University of Vermont and State Agriculture to Scott Brayman, 36.45 acres, land only, 251 Tamarack Road, $495,000. Aug. 17 Louise Selina Peyser to Anthony and Mary Kinson, 3 acres, land only, west side Mt. Philo Road Lot B, $188,500. Aug. 17 J. Peter and Wendy Trono to John Holtz and Elizabeth Harding, 1.3 acres with dwelling, 220 Turtle Moon Road, $763,000. Aug. 19 Estate of Shirley Bruce c/o Lori Bruce, Trustee, to Scott Goodwin, 1.2 acres with dwelling, 715 Cedar Beach, $312,500. Aug. 20 Ronald Keen to Ronald and Linda Keen, 1.08 acres, land only, 431 South Forty Road, $16,200. Aug. 20 Carol Chenevert and Peter Kidd to Heidi and David Crean, 2.61 acres with dwelling, 222 McNeil Cove Road, $1,265,000. Aug. 21 Andrea, LLC to Adam Gregory Socinski and Siobhan Cailin Philbin, .82 acre with dwelling, 26 Prindle Road, $395,000.
Classifieds Reach your friends and neighbors for only $12 per issue. (Payment must be sent before issue date.) Please limit your ad to 35 words or fewer and send it to The Charlotte News Classifieds, P.O. Box 251, Charlotte, VT 05445 or email ads@thecharlottenews.org. MT. PHILO INN A unique hotel with panoramic views of Lake Champlain and private road to Mt. Philo. 1800 sq. ft. 3-bedroom suites with 2 bathrooms and a complete kitchen. By the day, week and month. Privacy, space, tranquility. Bigger on the inside. MtPhiloInn.com, 425-3335. Since 1977, LAFAYETTE PAINTING has provided top quality painting services. Our experts will complete your job quickly and the finished work is guaranteed to look great. Learn more about us at LafayettePaintingInc.com or call 863-5397 Bosch Joint Revocable Trust to Jovini LLC, 3.8 acres with dwelling, 324 Wings Point Road, $1,700,000. Aug. 31 Dennis Ray Bosch and Judith Foster Bosch Joint Revocable Trust to Wings Point LLC, dwelling, 332 Wings Point Road, $250,000.
MCCAFFREY’S SHAMROCK PAINTING Interior and exterior work, lift certified, clean, neat work, decent rates, 35+ years experience. If you are serious about wanting paint work done, call us for an estimate. 802-877-2172 GUITAR LESSON IN CHARLOTTE -Student-centered learning, all ages/ levels. Technique, theory, composition, improvisation. Jazz, rock, funk, Western classical and Indian classical. I aim to foster my students’ skills to explore all that is possible. 802-3185365 / xander.naylor@gmail.com / xandernaylor.com Aug. 31 Harriet Stone Patrick Revocable Trust to Clint and Kimberly West, 20 acres, land only, 2085 Ethan Allen Highway, $125,000.
Aug. 17 Bank of America N.A. to Southeast Properties Acquisitions, 16.2 acres with dwelling, 3965 Lake Road, $420,000. Aug. 28 Nancy Pricer to Ross and Kayla Huntley, 10.5 acres with dwelling, 11 Quinlan Farm Lane, $700,000. Aug. 28 Laura Urquhart (fka Laura White) to Anthony and Audrey Bella, 5.15 acres with dwelling, 3797 Ethan Allen Highway, $589,000. Aug. 31 Dennis Ray Bosch and Judith Foster
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